Stay Alert for Wildlife on Highways

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Many animals migrate with the changing weather, increasing the need for drivers to stay alert for wildlife when driving on the roads this time of year.

That’s the message of the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Wildlife movement occurs year-round, but more so in fall and early winter due to hunting season and animals seeking more favorable habitat for winter. Pay especially close attention to deer or elk near the side of roads, ITD says, as this may be an indication that other animals in nearby and could easily cross in front of you without warning.

ITD says to use headlights and obey speed limits in an effort to avoid colliding with a wildlife animal.

destillat/ThinkStock

Both departments, ITD and Fish and Game, collect data on wildlife collisions. If you do collide with wildlife, you reporting of it to Fish and Game can help both departments document and identify potential ways of improving highway safety and reducing wildlife loss.

Reporting and salvage information is available at this Fish and Game link.

“If anyone is unlucky enough to have a collision with a big game animal, remember you can keep the animal to salvage the meat as long as you record it in the roadkill database,” said Fish and Game’s Wildlife Program Coordinator Gregg Servheen. “Even if you don’t salvage the animal, we encourage the general public to enter roadkill observations into the statewide database.”